Belmont honors Civil Rights leader with Unity Day

Two Belmont residents will join the ranks of people like Oscar Reid and George Burazer when the humanitarian awards are announced at Belmont’s annual Unity Day celebration Monday.

Amanda Memrick

Two Belmont residents will join the ranks of people like Oscar Reid and George Burazer when the humanitarian awards are announced at Belmont’s annual Unity Day celebration Monday.

Belmont has been holding a celebration in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. for more than 20 years.

Monday’s event will be the 22nd annual Unity Day. It starts at 7 p.m. Monday at the Belmont Abbey Basilica.

“The message is to try to get people to get along together,” said Belmont City Councilman Charlie Martin, who serves on the committee that puts the celebration together.

Those receiving a humanitarian award have contributed to the community and show a dedication for the community or a certain cause, said Martin.

Last year, three people received the humanitarian award honors: AJ Main, minister of students and disciple life at South Point Baptist Church; Grace Hill, retired educator and active community member and the late Harley Gaston Jr., former District Court judge.

The event will include the lighting of a unity candle and performances by the Mount Pleasant Men’s Choir and the Belmont Mass Choir. The Rev. Pierre Crawford of Center Baptist Church in Gastonia will be the guest speaker.

The offering collected at the Unity Day event will be donated to the Gastonia chapter of the American Red Cross.

You can reach reporter Amanda Memrick at 704-869-1839 or follow @AmandaMemrick on Twitter.